Experts: Estonian history lessons do not skirt round challenging topics
Two education experts refute claims that Estonian schools avoid difficult history topics, saying multi-perspective teaching helps students distinguish fact from propaganda and that controversial events like World War II are openly discussed.
Estonian education experts Mare Oja, chief expert on preschool and basic education at the Ministry of Education and Research, and history teacher Tiina-Mall Kreem have responded to a recent opinion piece by literary scholar Maarja Vaino. Vaino expressed concern that Estonian schools gloss over painful historical topics, including World War II, and that the Ministry's multi-perspective approach threatens national identity. Oja and Kreem argue that daily classroom practice is the opposite of what Vaino described.
Oja, who authored a guide for history teachers as part of the University of Tartu's "RITA-Ränne" project—a guide Vaino criticized by name—stressed the document's purpose is not to help teachers avoid sensitive issues. "We cannot ignore controversial topics. We have compiled research-based practices from different countries to help teachers manage sensitive issues in the classroom," Oja said. She acknowledged that World War II is among the most difficult topics due to differing perspectives among Estonia's demographic groups, but emphasized that teaching aims to develop historical thinking based on scientific document analysis, not emotions.
Kreem similarly rejected the notion that teachers avoid uncomfortable topics. She noted that multi-perspective history teaching helps students recognize propaganda and make sense of the past, especially in classrooms with students from diverse backgrounds, including recent arrivals from Ukraine. "When we discuss World War II events in class, that includes Estonians, Russians, Ukrainians, Germans, and Finns—we look at these events as historical and try to view them free from ideology," Kreem said. She added that schools are often the first places where charged debates, such as those about the 1920 Treaty of Tartu, are opened for discussion.
Both experts dismissed claims that Estonian history is being marginalized in curricula. Oja explained that Estonian history is taught in parallel with world history, as all events occur in a global context. Kreem noted that democracy allows different views, but discussion is essential for building shared values. They said criticism not grounded in actual classroom practice or curriculum content is unfair to teachers.
